Day 11 Day 9
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| An Antique Prayer Bell at Patan Darbar Square |
After
exploring the jungle we returned back to Kathmandu, which is not only a hub for
trekkers heading to high Himalayas but also a place worth exploring in its own.
Kathmandu Zoo
Before shifting the gear fully to sight-seeing
mode we first concluded the wildlife
episode by visiting the Kathmandu Zoo. Since it was in the proximity to
Zaeem’s workplace (our hosts in Kathmandu) he offered us the ride and also took his son
Rafan for the outing.
Kathmandu’s
Central Zoo is the only zoo in Nepal – perhaps a country so rich in wildlife
might not need even one! Nonetheless, it was a good experience. Most of the
animals were brought from the tropical sanctuaries around the region and looked
well kept – if I compare that to Karachi Zoo. The giant hippo was in activity
mood attracting spectators’ attention while the Bengal tiger, whom we could not
meet in the jungle, was also getting restless.
Apart from
the animals, the interesting thing was the entrance fee. Ticket for locals was
priced at NPR 100 while it was NPR 500 for foreigners, five times dearer. There
I successfully distorted my Urdu to sound more like a local, or Indian, to get the
subsidized one: all’s fair in travel and love!
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| Kathmandu Zoo - Ticket Counter |
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| The Hip Hippo |
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| Hey Big Mouth! |
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| Rhino Asks Where's My Horn? |
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| Bengal Tiger in Nepal! |
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| A Nepali Buffalo |
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| Harmless! |
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| Study Tour |
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| Studious Ones |
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| And the Weird One! |
Patan Darbar Square
After ogling
enough at flying squirrels and other weird species we walked to Patan to visit
the antique Darbar Square; a ‘must see’ sight in Nepal. Actually there are
three such squares; each in Kathmandu’s three valleys – Kathmandu downtown,
Patan, and Bhaktapur, collectively designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
In the
middle of everywhere, Darbar Square was as bustling and thriving as it could be
with archaic structures spread all around. Architecture was impressive and
reminiscent of various periods in country’s history. Again I found the site
well maintained especially when judged against to such comparable places around
Karachi, e.g. Makli, etc.
Although it
was fenceless, i.e. no apparent restriction to wander around the busy street,
government found its own ways to differentiate tourists from locals to obviously
charge them. As soon as the proceeds are going for the upkeep of this
historical treasure, I guess no one would mind being charged reasonably.
In the
morning Kathrine graciously invited us for the in-house dinner; so after a day
of sightseeing we rushed back to our home in Kathmandu where sumptuous grilled
chicken, stuffed with flavorsome vegetables, was waiting for us. Post feast we
had a cup of coffee together with our kind hosts and shared our traveling and
other life experiences at length. The best part was that the kids, ours and
theirs, also clicked in promising a good time in the coming days.
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| Going Towards Patan Darbar Square |
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| An Ancient Structure at Patan Darbar Sqaure |
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| The Big Bang |
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| Patan Darbar Square from the Top |
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| Darbar Square's Busy Street |
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| Intricacy |
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| Woodwork |
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| This is Where Sacrificial Buffalo Are Tied Up |
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| Guards |
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| The Green Backyard |
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| People Lined up for the Holy Water |
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| Traditional Nepali Cap |
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| And Pajama |
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| A 'Rath' Was in the Making Near Jawalakhel |
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| This Rath was to be Paraded in the Coming Festival |
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| Asheerbad |
Today’s Bills – in Nepali Rupees
| 300 |
|
Sight Seeing |
|
Entrance
Ticket: Kathmandu Zoo |
| 90 |
|
Food |
|
Cone Ice Cream! |
| 200 |
|
Sight Seeing |
|
Entrance Ticket:
Patan Darbar Square |
| 130 |
|
Food |
|
Snacks |
| 30 |
|
Logistics |
|
Bus - Lagankhel to
Nakhu |
| 0 |
|
Accommodation |
|
Couch Surfing! |
| 750 |
|
Total for May 22,
2013 |
|
|
| 28390 |
|
Total as of Today |
|
|
Traveler's Tip # 19: Keep Kathmandu at the Tail-End of Your Nepal Trip
Most of the tourists in Nepal first arrive in Kathmandu and then spread around the countryside either for trekking or for exploring religious and wilderness sites. Kathmandu is itself worth spending 3-4 days as there are various cultural and historical sites skipping which will be a big mistake. However, it would be better to keep Kathamdnu sight-seeing at the tail-end of the trip, i.e. before departure, rather than doing right after landing there. This strategy will give you an emergency buffer in case you may not return back to Kathmandu in time due to various reasons, such as logistic hurdles, which is not uncommon in the mountainous Nepal.
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